In some of the public clocks in Augsburg in Germany, it is death who rings the hour hand. The Capuchin Crypt in Rome or the Chapel of Bones in Portugal are two examples of “memento mori architecture” that can be found in Europe, the walls of which are covered with human bones and skulls.Ī view showing the interior of a chapel decorated with skulls and other bones, Malta, Rome Salvatore Lorenzo Cassar, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsĬlocks and other timepieces are also common objects from this period that would contain memento mori symbols, as they represent the passing of time in its never-ending and persistent countdown to death. Later Protestant tombstones in the United States would often depict skeletons and skulls. Cadaver tombs were a 15th-century practice among the wealthy, where the tomb of the deceased would have the effigy of a decaying corpse displayed on it. The most evident places to look for memento mori symbols are in architecture and funeral art. For Christians, death was something that was seen as a salvation from the burdens of earthly pleasures and a step towards the heavenly afterlife.įor the people of classic antiquity, death was a reason to celebrate life, whereas for Christians, it was a reminder not to sin in fear of being rejected at the Pearly Gates. The era of Christianity however, ushered in the repurposing of what memento mori represented. The reaction of those in classic antiquity to the concept of memento mori was to live life to the fullest, as death was around the corner.
Memento Mori Art in Medieval and Victorian Europe They were reminded to always keep the temporary nature of existence in their minds so they may appreciate life more.Īnonymous memento mori painting with the inscription: “Remember, O Man, Look who you are / How unequal Dead and Alive are”, South Germany, 18th century Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The Stoic school and its followers also practiced this discipline, for whom it was a necessary meditation to contemplate death. Democritus, another philosopher, went into solitude by visiting tombs as training. In his book Phaedo, Plato said that philosophy is about “nothing but being dead and dying”. The philosophers of classic antiquity had a deep desire to understand the intricacies of human life, as well as the inevitable end chapter that we all must eventually experience: death. 2.9 Skull with Burning Cigarette (1885) by Vincent van Gogh.2.8 Sceleti et Musculorum Corporis Humani (1749) by Bernhard Siegfried Albinus.2.7 Still-Life with a Skull (1671) by Philippe de Champaigne.
2.6 Vanitas Still Life (1668) by Maria van Oosterwijck.2.5 Self-Portrait With Vanitas Symbols (1651) by David Bailly.2.4 Still Life, An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life (1640) by Harmen Steenwijck.2.3 Young Man with a Skull (1626) by Frans Hals.2.2 Vanitas Still Life (1625) by Pieter Claesz.2.1 The Dance of Death (1493) by Michael Wolgemut.1.1 Memento Mori Art in Medieval and Victorian Europe.
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